2012 Media Releases

Willoughby Council continues to combat parking abuse

30 January 2012

Willoughby City Council issued an additional 1,000 penalty notices for illegal parking in disability spaces in 2011 than the previous year, showing its continued commitment to enforcement against the misuse of Mobility Parking Scheme (MPS) permits and MPS parking spaces.

The 2,585 fines given for MPS offences in the Willoughby area during 2011 (up from 1,526 in 2010) make Willoughby Council one of the leading councils in Sydney to enforce the program.

Willoughby Mayor, Pat Reilly said, “The Mobility Parking Scheme is designed to assist some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Misuse of the system by drivers without a genuine disability ultimately disadvantages those people the system is intended to support.”

“We have zero tolerance toward drivers who misuse parking spaces dedicated for people with genuine disabilities and drivers who fraudulently use Mobility Parking Scheme Permits,” said Mayor, Pat Reilly.

In addition to stringent enforcement, Willoughby Council is leading the way in education, working with the Roads and Maritime Services (previously RTA) and other councils in NSW to combat the widespread problem of MPS permit abuse.

Several staff are members of the Roads and Maritime Services’ Disabled Parking Steering Committee. The ‘MPS Watch List’ has been used successfully in Willoughby for the past two years.